John Brown University welcomed back alumni for its Homecoming celebration with a weekend full of enjoyable activities and events on campus from Friday, Oct. 7 through Saturday, Oct. 8. Members of the Siloam Springs community and current students also participated in homecoming festivities. The activities for this Homecoming weekend included Alumni gatherings, the 5K Glow run, soccer and volleyball matches, and the theatre department’s production of “Murder on the Orient Express.”
On Oct. 7, Homecoming chapel opened with cheers for Hollie Voth Schaub, JBU alumnus from the class of 2001. Voth began her speech by welcoming her fellow alumni to the homecoming activities of the weekend. While on stage, she had the opportunity to share her life after graduating and how grateful she is for how the university’s community has positively impacted her life.
The JBU community attended various campus activities, such as the Golden Eagles volleyball game and the theater production of “Murder on the Orient Express,” directed by Josiah Wallace. Students also had a good time. Junior mechanical engineering major Joel Quiralte participated for the first time in the 5K Glow Run. He reflected about his experience, “I stopped a few times, but I finished it. It was a great experience,” Quiralte said. He wishes to improve his running time and would like to participate again.
Jim and Karen Naramore, alumni from the 1972 class, enjoyed all the activities of the Homecoming weekend. This couple’s love story began long ago in the JBU choir. They were delighted to reunite with other JBU alumni and were grateful for all the activities they attended. “I have met old friends all day,” Jim Naramore said. “I have just met 36 people who graduated with me 50 years ago! It was pretty nice,” he added.
On Saturday, Oct 8, both the women’s and men’s soccer teams played home games, providing another event for alumni and students to attend. During halftime of the men´s match, the Student Government Association announced the Homecoming queen, Brooke Wilson, and king, Matthew Campbell.
Jose Guerrero, this year’s junior representative of the Homecoming court, shared his experience on being nominated: “I was surprised when a friend told me that I was nominated,” he said. “Then people started telling me they voted for me. I felt very well,” Guerrero added with a smile.
The Homecoming activities had a large turnout of alumni and students to all the events planned. The 5K Glow run, for example, had over 70 runners, making it their largest marathon yet, according to JBU Advancement records.
(Photo by Anna Palacios / The Threefold Advocate)
